I've been maintaining my starter for about 8 months now and I'm going on vacation for 3 weeks in September. I've heard people mention freezing their starter, but I'm worried it'll damage the yeast and bacteria. What's the actual best way to preserve it while I'm away?
Freezing works fine - I've done it myself when life got hectic and didn't have time to feed mine regularly. The culture goes dormant but definitely survives, so you'll get it back to normal once you thaw it and feed it a few times. Just stick it in the freezer in a sealed container or jar a couple days before you leave, no need to do anything fancy. When you get back, let it thaw at room temperature and give it its regular feedings over a few days until it's bubbly and active again.
Are you worried about killing it off completely, or just that it won't bounce back the same? Good news - freezing actually works great for sourdough starters and the culture survives just fine! The yeast and bacteria go dormant in the cold but wake right back up when you thaw and feed it. Just stick your starter in an airtight container or jar in the freezer before you leave, and when you get back from vacation, let it thaw at room temperature, then feed it like normal - might take a feeding or two to get it really active again, but you'll be golden!
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